Gawan-Taylor F 2nd Lt 2nd York And Lancs Regiment

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Gawan-Taylor F 2nd Lt 2nd York And Lancs Regiment

Source : The Sphere 2nd Oct 1915

GAWAN-TAYLOR, FRANCIS, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. York and Lancaster Regt., 2nd s. of His Honour Judge (Henry) Gawan-Taylor, of Croftlands, Heads Nook, Cumberland, County Court Judge of Circuit No. 3, Cumberland and Westmoreland, by his wife, Rachel, 3rd dau. of the late Thomas Joseph Candler, of Low Hall, West Ayton, co. York; b. Darlington, 27 Aug. 1892; educ. Rossall (Scholar and Exhibitioner), and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (Scholar, 1913); was gazetted 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. York and Lancaster Regt. (Special Reserve), 16 Jan. 1915; was attd. to the 2nd Battn.; went to France, 1 June, 1915, and was killed in action near Hooge, 9 Aug. 1915, during the British advance north and west of Hooge; unm. Buried there.

While at Rossall School he was a member of the O.T.C.; was a keen athlete and ran in the mile race for Cambridge in 1914, when the Oxonian, A. N. S. Jackson, beat him by eight yards. His Commanding Officer wrote of him: “Your son was one of my subalterns; he was a very promising young officer and was doing very well. We had to take some German trenches. I had two subalterns hit on the way there, but your son was there after we got into their trench. It was while directing the consolidating of their trenches that he was hit by a bullet through both temples. The men of his platoon greatly regret his loss, as they had learned to love him.” He was engaged to be married to Alyson May Estcourt Boucher, dau. of the Rev. Canon Boucher, Rector of Frolesworth, Lutterworth.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Todd J W L/Cpl King’s Own Scottish Borderers

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Todd J W L/Cpl King’s Own Scottish Borderers

TODD, JOHN WRIGHT, L.-Corpl., No. 11308, 2nd Battn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers, grandson of John Todd, of Main Street, Norham-on-Tweed; b. Norham-on-Tweed, 14 Feb. 1894; educ. there; was a Baker; enlisted in 2nd King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Oct. 1911; left for France, 14 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action, 9 April, 1915, being shot by a sniper; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Thompson G Captain 13th London Regiment

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Thompson G Captain 13th London Regiment

THOMPSON, GILBERT, Capt., 2nd Battn. Connaught Rangers, attd. as Adjutant 13th Battn. (Princess Louise’s Kensington) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd s. of Reginald Thompson, of Loftus Hill, Knaresborough, Col. 2nd Vol. Battn. West York Regt., by his wife, Frances Harriet, 4th dau. of the Rev. Charles Smith Royds, of Haughton, co. Stafford, and Heysham, co. Lancaster, J.P., and gdson. of Sir Matthews William Thompson, of Guiseley, 1st Bart.; b. Baildon Lodge, 22 June, 1877; educ. Yarlet near Stafford, afterwards privately; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Connaught Rangers, from the Militia, 20 May, 1899, and promoted Lieut. 24 July, 1900, and Capt. 29 Nov. 1905; served eight years with them in India; appointed Adjutant to the Kensingtons, 1 Jan. 1913; left for France with them 3 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Laventie, 24 Feb. 1915. Buried at Picantin. One of the men, writing home, said of him: “We have lost one of our best officers. Capt. Thompson, the Adjutant. He was showing the General round, and he was shot in the head. He was one of the best; he thought of the men first and himself last. Every man is sorry at his death. . . . The men have lost their best friend.”

Another man wrote: “Out in the trenches he was splendid. He would come along and ask how we were and always have something cheery to say. He got his feet frost-bitten and asked what he should do. “See the doctor, sir,” I said. “Not I,” he replied. “He’ll want a few toes off and put me on the sick list.” And he wouldn’t, with all my persuasion. When my feet got very bad, I rode back three miles on his horse and the next morning he came round to see me. He’s splendid.” He was buried in the little cemetery behind the firing-line. His last request was: “Bury me with the boys, not beside the officers,” and this wish was carried out. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April and 31 May [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915. Capt. Thompson m. at Finghall, Yorkshire, 7 June, 1906, Ethel Isabella, 2nd dau. of Marmaduke D’Arcy Wyvill, of Constable Burton and Denton Park, Yorkshire, J.P., D.L., and had three children: Christopher Smith Byron, b. 19 April, 1907; Laura Barbara Frances, b. 10 Nov. 1908, and Naomi Isabella, b. 23 Oct. 1912.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Thomas-O’Donel G O F Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

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Thomas-O’Donel G O Captain MC

Source : The Sphere 7th Aug 1915

Thomas-O’Donel G O’D Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

Lieutenant George O’Donel F. Thomas O’Donel, 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He is mentioned in despatches, and is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Donel, of Newport House, Newport, Co. Mayo, and grand-nephew of the late Sir George C. O’Donel, Bart. He was educated at Cheltenham College, and entered the Royal Donegal Artillery Militia as Lieutenant, from which regiment he was gazetted to the Royal Fusiliers, in which he is now serving. He was married last week at Kensington to Violet, only daughter of Mr. George Claude Braddell, of Newlands, Ferns, Co. Wexford. He is a keen sportsman, and when stationed in Mullingar was well known in the hunting field.

Source : Our Heroes Mons To The Somme August 1914-July 1916

Thomas-O’Donel G O’D Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

THOMAS-O’DONEL, GEORGE O’DONEL FREDERICK, M.C., Capt. and Adjutant, 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, only 8. of Edwin Thomas-O’Donel, of Newport House, Newport, co. Mayo, J.P., D.L., by his wife, Melicent Agnes, dau. of Capt. Richard Annesley O’Donel; b. Dublin, 21 Oct. 1884; educ. Cheltenham College, and abroad; joined the Royal Donegal Artillery Militia in 1902; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the 4th Royal Fusiliers, 23 May, 1906; promoted Lieut. 10 April, 1909, and Capt. 26 Nov. 1914; appointed Adjutant, 15 Jan. 1913; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 13 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 16 June, 1915. Capt. O’Donel was awarded the Military Cross [London Gazette, 19 Feb. 1915]; and was twice mentioned in Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatches [London Gazette, 19 Oct. 1914, and 18 Feb.. 1915]. Brig.-Gen. McMahon, commanding the Brigade, wrote on 5 Nov. 1914: “I think the Battn. has done very well out here, and I hope it will continue to do so. George is going strong and is fitter than when he started, and  can claim a very large share in producing such good results as may have been attained”; and Col. Hely-Hutchinson wrote: “I cannot tell you what a shock the whole thing has been to me, we were the closest of friends, we slept together, we fed together, we rode together, and we fought together, and we never had a row for seven months, and the only time we had been separated, George goes and gets killed, and I get off. It is too sad after all the months he had been out and the good work he had done. I myself got a small touch of a shell on the head and have come home for a bit, thank God, as I don’t think I could have carried on any longer out there without George and the rest- we lost six killed and nine wounded officers, and I had no heart and was just tired out and so was George, he just went on till he dropped.

Major F. R. Mallock: “His death is a great loss to his country and the regt.-he served so gallantly and so well; there are few of us left who went out with the Battn., George was the only one of the combatant officers left after the fighting at Ypres. I had a great affection and admiration for him, he did work splendidly right through.” Brig.-Gen. Reginald Pinney, formerly commanding 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, also wrote to the late Capt. Thomas O’Donel’s father: “I am most distressed for you and his mother at George’s death-also for the regt. and the army, for he was fulfilling all the promise he showed when he joined; seeing his name gave me a special shock, for I had just heard of my getting a division, and had been talking of Staff and had hoped to get George appointed a G.S.O.” He m. in London, 26 Nov. 1914, Florence Violet (Newlands, co. Wexford), only dau. of George Claud Flood Braddell, of Newlands, co. Wexford, and Luckington, co. Wilts; s.p.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Thomas C H Captain 2nd South Staffs Regiment

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Thomas C H Captain 2nd South Staffs Regiment

THOMAS, CHARLES HERBERT, Capt., 2nd Battn. South Staffordshire Regt., only child of Howard Thomas, of 10, Westminster Palace Gardens, S. W., by his wife, Ethel, dau. of the late William Baker, of Sneyd Park, Bristol, and grandson of the late Charles Thomas, of Stoke Bishop, Bristol, J.P., D.L.; b. Charton, Henbury, co. Gloucester, 25 April, 1880; educ. at Clifton; Abbotsholme, and Edinburgh University; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 4th Somerset L.I., 21 April, 1900, from the militia, and promoted Lieut. 16 Dec. 1901, and Capt. 8 Jan. 1909. He served in the South African War, 1899-1901, with the Somerset L.I., receiving the Queen’s medal with clasp, and in Feb. 1901, was transferred to the South Staffordshire Regt. then in India; was on leave, 1904-05; at Depôt, Lichfield, 1906-08, and in South Africa 1908-1911, where, in 1909, he was given the command of the Mounted Infantry Coy. of his Regt. then at Harrismith, and returned to Lichfield in 1911. On the outbreak of the European War he went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 11 Aug. 1914; served through the retreat from Mons and the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne; was severely wounded in action near Ypres, 27 Oct., and died at the Hotel Crystal Hospital, Boulogne, 5 Nov. 1914. He was buried in the English quarter of the cemetery there. Capt. Thomas was mentioned in Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 18 Feb. 1915, for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field, and his Col. wrote: “I had hoped that your gallant and beloved son might have been the recipient of our most coveted decoration on the strength of my recommendation.” He was an expert horseman and a keen polo player. He m. at Winsford, Exmoor, 4 June, 1912, Dorothy Catherine, only dau. of Philip Everard, of Miltons, Dulverton, co. Somerset, and had issue a son, Charles Richard, b. 15 June, 1913.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Thal M M V Rfn Rifle Brigade

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Thal M M V Rfn Rifle Brigade

THAL, MORRIS MARCUS VAN, Rifleman, No. Z2641, B Coy., 25th Brigade, 8th Division, Rifle Brigade, Interpreter to Commanding Officer, only child of Marcus van Thal, of 91, Addison Gardens, Kensington, employee at the War Office, by his wife, Marie, dau. of Meyer Poole; b. Catford, co. Kent, 10 Oct.1897; educ. St. John’s College, Southend-on- Sea, Brussels, and Hanover, and passed the Senior Cambridge Local Exam., with also oral French and German, 1913; enlisted in the Rifle Brigade, 11 Sept. 1914; went to France, March, 1915, and was killed in action at Fromelles, 9 May, 1915. Corpl. Leigh Knight wrote: “I was your son’s section commander, and am very sorry to have to tell you that I myself saw him fall. He was a good soldier, and when we charged he went forward very gallantly. He was killed by a German shell, and it was practically instantaneous death”; and Rifleman E. Allen wrote: “On 9 May we made an attack on Fromelles, where I saw your son carrying a machine-gun into action. I could not say whether he was killed, but I saw him go under, when I was wounded.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Taylor W W Rfn 604 21st London Regiment

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Taylor W W Rfn 604 21st London Regiment

TAYLOR, WALTER WILLIAM, Rifleman, No. 604, 1/21st Battn. (1st Surrey Rifles), The London Regt. (T.F.), only s. of William Taylor, Verger and Guide at St. Paul’s Cathedral, by his wife, Clara, dau. of James Fensome; b. Brixton, London, S. W., 19 June, 1888; educ. St. Saviour’s School there; was a Porter in the Goods Department of the S.E. and C. Railway; joined the Surrey Rifles, 1 Aug. 1909; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; went to France, 12 March, 1915, and was killed in action at Givenchy, 25 May, 1915; being buried there. He m. at St. Paul’s Church, Herne Hill, S.E., 1910, Maud (99, Milkwood Road, Herne Hill), dau. of Ernest Ward, and had two children: Walter William, b. 17 June, 1913, and Maud Ethel, b. 11 Jan. 1911.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Taylor R F 2nd Lt 5th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

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Taylor R F 2nd Lt 5th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

TAYLOR, RONALD FRANCIS, 2nd Lieut., 5th Battn. King’s Shropshire L.I., 4th s. of Alfred Taylor, of Starston Place, Harleston, Norfolk, J.P., by his wife, Anna Enfield, dau. of Septimus Dowson, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth; b. Starston Place, afsd., 29 Feb. 1888; educ. St. Andrew’s School (Rev. E. L. Browne), Eastbourne; Malvern College, and Pembroke College, Cambridge (B.A. 1909); and after a short period as an assistant master at St. Andrew’s School, joined the firm of Oslers, Birmingham; volunteered on the outbreak of war, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 5th Shropshire L.I. 28 Sept. 1914; went to France 21 May, 1915, and was killed in action near Ypres, 9 Aug. 1915, during the attack on Hooge. He was in command of an advance trench, a shell killing him instantaneously while he was endeavouring to bind up the wound of one of his corporals. Lieut. Taylor was a good athlete, and an all-round sportsman. He was a member of the Malvern College Cricket XI. and a fine shot.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Taylor M B Pte 7155 3rd Coldstream Guards

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Taylor M B Pte 7155 3rd Coldstream Guards

TAYLOR, MILES BRUNSKILL, Private, No. 7155, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, s. of Thomas Taylor, for many years a railway guard on the London & North Western Railway, by his wife, Mary, dau. of Miles Thompson; b. Lancaster, 18 Oct. 1886; educ. Christ Church School, Lancaster; enlisted in the 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 26 Feb. 1907. In the Reserve on the outbreak of war he was called up on mobilisation, 5 Aug. 1914; served in France and Flanders, passing unhurt through engagements at Mons, Landrecies, Lowey and Fontenay, but was seriously wounded by shrapnel, 8 Sept. 1914, and died at La Tretoire the same day. He m. at Christ Church, Lancaster, 30 Sept. 1912, Margaret (4, Trafalgar Road, Lancaster), yst. dau. of the late Robert Turner, of Maze Lisburn, Ireland, and had two daus. Hilda Irene, b. 21 June, 1913; and Annie Norah Myles, b. 30 Dec. 1914. Three of his brothers are now (1916) on active service, and one a munition worker.

Taylor H L/Cpl 9793 1st Essex Regiment

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Taylor H L/Cpl 9793 1st Essex Regiment

TAYLOR, HENRY, L.-Corpl., No. 9793, 1st Battn. Essex Regt., 6th s. of Thomas Joseph Taylor, of 4, Reed’s Bank, Ocklynge Road, Eastbourne, retired Civil Servant, by his wife, Mary White, dau. of the late Henry Seward; b. Tottenham, N., 8 June, 1892; educ. West Green Road Board School; joined the Middlesex Special Reserve about April, 1911, and transferred in Aug. following to the 2nd Essex: was sent with draft to Mauritius to join the 1st Battn. in Oct., 1913; left for the Dardanelles on the Caledonia from Avonmouth, 22 Feb. 1915; was appointed L.-Corpl. on the field, died through wounds received in action at the Saghir Dere, Gallipoli, 29 June, 1915; unm

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1